Robert Levi Jones, 82, of Rexburg, Idaho, passed away at home on Saturday, July 8, 2023 surrounded by family and loved ones at his home after a long battle with cancer and heart disease.

Bob was born on October 4, 1940, in La Grande, Oregon to James Levi Jones and Zeloris Anna Weatherspoon. He attended La Grande High School, Oregon State University in Corvallis, Oregon, Air War College at Andrews Air Force Base in Washington, DC, National Defense University Industrial College of the Armed Forces in Washington, DC and Master's Degree at the Air Force Institute of Technology at Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio. https://www.afit.edu/

He served a distinguished twenty-year military career in the U.S. Air Force from 1963 to 1983, retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel at the Pentagon. He served two tours in Southeast Asia, Guthrie Air Force Station, WV, Kingsley Field, Klamath Falls, OR, Ent Air Force Base, Colorado Springs, CO, Hill Air Force Base, UT, HQ Tactical Air Command/Joint U.S. Military Assistance Group, Bangkok, Thailand, Presidential Wing Andrews Air Force Base, Kunsan Air Base, Korea and Pentagon.

His life was all about service to his God, country and community. He wanted to leave this world a better place than he had found it and pay forward for all the many blessings and opportunities with which he was blessed with.

Bob was a faithful and active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, has served in many callings and touched many lives for the better.  He and his wife are strong advocates for veterans and would go to Capitol Hill twice a year to help improve the lives of our service members, veterans and their families.  Bob was a VFW All American Past State Commander and National Legislative Committee Member for Idaho.  He was also a Precinct Committeeman and a member of the Madison County Republican Central Committee and Military Liaison Board Member of the Rexburg Area Chamber of Commerce.

Bob met the love of his life, Carmelita, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia after he took a job as a defense contractor on a Foreign Military Sales Contract with the Royal Saudi Air Force after retiring at the Pentagon.  They made their home in Riyadh for 13 years and moved to Rexburg in 1995 to be near Carmelita's family.  They have been married for 40 years.  Bob & Carmelita owned the Arctic Circle Franchise in Rexburg and an independent family restaurant called Timber's Edge in Island Park for several years.

Bob is survived by his wife, Carmelita; their children, Robert Jones of Medford, OR; Deborah Jones of Sacramento, CA and Randolph Jones (Greta) of Shelley, Idaho;  sister, Sharon (Douglas) Spencer of Vancouver, WA;  three grandchildren; Rhett Jones of Sacramento, CA, Robyn Jones of Fall River, MA and Vivian Jones of Idaho Falls, ID, and great-grandson, Asher Jones of Medford, OR.

The family will receive friends on Wednesday, July 12, 2023 from 5:30 pm to 7:00 pm at Flamm Funeral Home (61 North 1st East, Rexburg, ID 83440) and on Thursday, July 13, 2023 from 10:00 am to 10:45 am at Rexburg Stake Center (845 W 7th S, Rexburg, ID 83440)  prior to the memorial service at 11:00 am. Interment will be in the Rexburg Cemetery, Idaho with Military Honors by the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3012 and the U.S. Air Force Honor Guard.

Service will be live streamed at: https://my.gather.app/remember/robert-bob-jones